The invention relates to a catalyst and a process for producing alkyl tert alkyl ethers from sulfur contaminated feedstocks wherein the catalyst has enhanced resistance to sulfur deactivation.
Alkyl tert alkyl ethers such as MTBE, TAME, ETBE and the like are useful as fuel additives or extenders and as octane improving agents for unleaded gasolines.
Numerous processes and catalysts are known for production of alkyl tert alkyl ethers. Such processes typically involve reaction of a primary alcohol with an olefin having a double bond on a tertiary carbon atom. Ion exchange resins are particularly useful for such processes. Etherification and isomerization processes and catalyst resins for such processes are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,330,679, 4,695,556 and 5,008,466.
Light hydrocarbon streams such as C.sub.4 -C.sub.10 streams from FCC processes and the like are potentially desirable feedstocks for etherification processes. However, FCC hydrocarbon streams and others have been found to rapidly deactivate the ion exchange resin catalyst thereby making the process inefficient and costly.
It is desirable to provide a catalyst and an etherification process using the catalyst wherein the catalyst is not rapidly deactivated.
It is therefore the primary object of the present invention to provide an ion exchange resin catalyst for use in preparing alkyl tert alkyl ethers wherein the resin is resistant to rapid deactivation.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a process utilizing the catalyst of the present invention to produce alkyl tert alkyl ethers.
Other objects and advantages will appear herein below.